Latest news with #Fifers
Scotsman
20-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Partnership gives Fife teens boost on career ladder
Two female Fifers are building their construction careers thanks to a partnership between the local careers service and a major employer. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Emily Morrison and Lara Montgomery were given the chance to gain work experience at the development site for the new Fife College Dunfermline Learning Campus, which has cemented their ambition to work in construction. The opportunities were created thanks to connections made between Skills Development Scotland (SDS) careers advisers in Fife and international infrastructure group Balfour Beatty. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Careers Adviser Emma Balfour knew the opportunity would be invaluable to both 17 year-old Emily and 16 year-old Lara, who she met as pupils at St Columba's High. L-R - Emily Morrison and Lara Montgomery Lara, now studying joinery at Fife College would get hands on experience whilst young carer Emily, who has just left school, was unsure about her future. Emma explained: 'In school, Lara came for advice and help around applying for college courses. Woodwork was the only subject she enjoyed and so she was keen to progress in that and we successfully worked together to get her a college place. After that, she visited me at the careers office to explain that, whilst she liked her course, she wanted to know if there were other options open to her within construction. 'Emily didn't feel like she fitted in at school. I would often meet with her at other locations and built up a good relationship with her, setting her up with a Young Carers Card and helping her apply for a part time job at McDonalds. Whilst she knew she would like to do something practical as a career, she didn't have any qualifications to apply for college. I thought the experience at the campus would give her a fantastic insight into construction careers.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Both teens jumped at the chance and Emily, from Kelty, gained two weeks experience on site while Lara, from Dunfermline, was able to fit in four days of work around her studies. L-R SDS Careers Adviser Emma Balfour; Lara Montgomery; Emily Morrison; Balfour Beatty Social Impact Advisor Bethany Welsh Emily said: 'I was going to leave school with no plan. I was so confused and I didn't have a clue about my future until I spoke to Emma. Emma thought a hands-on job would suit me, but I'd never thought of construction before, even though my dad thought I would do well in that type of work.' Lara said: 'Getting this chance through Emma and Balfour Beatty was amazing and it has helped me to realise that I'm on the right career path.' During their time on site, Emily and Lara experienced the wide range of roles involved in the project to show the variety of jobs available within construction. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Emily and Lara were accredited by the Engineering Development Trust, to acknowledge their achievements, and their efforts have also led to both getting offers of paid work experience from Balfour Beatty. Bethany Welsh, Balfour Beatty's Social Impact Advisor who oversaw the placements, said: "We are proud to have supported the development of emerging talent through the Dunfermline campus project, providing valuable opportunities for young female professionals to grow within the industry. "Through close collaboration with our team, Lara and Emily have demonstrated outstanding commitment, enthusiasm, and adaptability, seamlessly integrating into the workplace. As we near the project's completion, we remain dedicated to fostering future opportunities and supporting the next generation of talent in the sector."
The Courier
13-06-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen spells out why he is excited to be back at Dunfermline Athletic
Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen hopes both he and Dunfermline can thrive – rather than simply survive – this season under Neil Lennon. The defender has penned a new 12-month contract with the Pars, who activated an option in the agreement signed by the former Leeds United last season. The 20-year-old arrived on a short-term deal at the start of February and made a huge impact at the heart of the Fifers rearguard. He was an ever-present at the back as the East End Park men successfully avoided relegation to League One. However, the Scotland U/21 cap is convinced there will be better things ahead for Dunfermline after Lennon's decision to stay on as manager. 'It's good to be back. I'm excited for the season,' he said after putting pen to paper at the club on Friday. 'Obviously, I enjoyed my time here last season. So, I'm looking to kick on again this season and hopefully improve individually and as a team. 'Last season, we managed to survive. But I think we'll be looking at the other end of the table going into this season. 'It's a tough league. Anyone can beat anyone, we know that. 'So I think just take the positives from last season and keep doing those things. And the things that we weren't so good at, build on that.' Dunfermline finished the campaign in seventh place after bottom side Hamilton Accies were deducted 15 points due to SPFL rule breaches. But, with just nine wins from 36 league games, there will have to be major improvements if the Pars are to achieve their stated aim of pushing for promotion to the Premiership. Chilokoa-Mullen saw enough in his seven matches in charge to know that Lennon's experience of winning silverware and competing in Europe with previous clubs Celtic and Hibernian could prove invaluable. 'One of the main things was playing regularly,' he added as he surveyed his time with the Fifers last season. 'It's my first real experience of men's football. 'That's something I needed and I enjoyed that. 'And working under an experienced manager, Neil Lennon, and playing with experienced players, they're obviously helping me. '[Lennon] has got lots of experience. He's worked with loads of top players. It's always good. He can pass things down to all of us, really. 'I think he wants us to dominate games this season. 'Obviously, last season, he didn't have that much time with us. So, I don't think he could really establish the full way he wanted to play in the short period of time. 'But this season, he wants us to dominate games, have the ball – and score more goals.'
The Courier
04-06-2025
- General
- The Courier
Businessman who plastered racist grooming gang posters around Fife claims it was a 'senior moment'
A radicalised racist who spent a fortnight sticking posters portraying vile lies about Pakistani 'grooming gangs' around Fife has been hit with a 'substantial' fine. Grandad Ian McLauchlan was caught on CCTV sticking up slur-laden posters around Leven, Methil and Kirkcaldy. The businessman and landlord, 72, claimed his conduct was a 'senior moment' but had previously told police it was a cover-up involving teachers and social workers. Fifers were left shocked earlier this year by McLauchlan's flyposting, which exhibited his far-right views. McLauchlan's posters claimed the Labour party had instructed police to do nothing about sexual abuse and heroin dealing and that local businesses were 'verified pedo shops', instructing readers to graffiti their premises. At the foot of his poster, McLauchlan ordered readers to view Stirling-based historian Neil Oliver's video on grooming gangs on the GB News YouTube channel. At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, a sentencing sheriff was provided with a three-page account of McLauchlan's campaign and photos of the posters. The agreed narrative of the offending revealed the first of his bigoted bills to be noticed was on a bus shelter on Overton Road in Kirkcaldy, near St Andrews High School. A dog walker spotted the soaking flier at 10am on January 30 and removed it before contacting police. At 11am on February 3, police attended Sainsbury's in Leven for an unrelated matter. Staff handed over an identical A4 poster a customer had found pinned to a trolley bay in the car park. The following morning, another witness found one of McLauchlan's posters on a bus stop at Groban, Leven. Police removed it and carried out a search of the wider area. They seized another poster from the bus stop on the corner of Scoonie Road and Haughgate Street. McLauchlan's flyposting was discovered again on February 12. A woman using the ATM at the Co-op on Methilhaven Road, Methil, noticed a poster on the Salvation Army clothing bank there. Having seen identical posters circulating on social media, she alerted police. On February 17, McLauchlan was finally rumbled by a man walking to work on Welleseley Road, Methil, who found a poster on a bus stop and alerted police. Officers were able to review CCTV there and saw McLauchlan's white Ford Fiesta van park up two days earlier. He was caught on camera putting up posters. Police traced him the next day and found a bag of identical posters on his van's front seat. Further evidence was recovered from his home in Bayview Crescent, Methil. McLauchlan told officers he 'knew this' from politicians who he could cite for court and 'they all knew'. He repeated business owners from ethnic groups were grooming young girls, that police did not do anything and this was known by teachers and social workers. McLauchlan told officers it was 'all a big cover up.' McLauchlan's solicitor Kerr Sneddon explained McLauchlan's only other – non-analogous – conviction was 15 years ago. 'It's particularly unfortunate this 72-year-old is in court for the second time in his life. 'This all seems to have started when a young lady locally had given him a leaflet about her own abuse – that was in 2024. 'I think what he's done is then researched all the things that we hear about and certain members of society – some of which are well-founded, it must be said. 'Of course, we know when you go onto the internet, if you research a certain topic it creates an algorithm. 'It creates more and more and more. I think that is what has happened to Mr McLauchlan.' 'With no disrespect to him, it may be I think some degree of age has kicked in,' Mr Sneddon continued. 'He very much accepts the reasonable person would consider these types of poster would stir up problems – quite significant problems.' Mr Sneddon added: 'He describes it as a stupid, senior moment and something he deeply regrets. 'He is still a very hard-working man, he works full time Monday to Friday and has his own business… and a separate business renting out properties.' At a hearing last month, McLauchlan pled guilty to displaying posters which contained racist and offensive material and sentencing was deferred for reports. He admitted that on various occasions between January 30 and February 15 this year, he communicated material a reasonable person would consider to be threatening, abusive or insulting. He admitted this breached the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021. McLauchlan spent a night in the cells following his arrest. Sheriff Allan Findlay ordered McLauchlan to pay a fine of £2,000 and a £75 victim surcharge. The sheriff labelled the offending 'in one view misguided, in another view very serious.' He added: 'The potential that this conduct could have in stirring up racial unrest will be marked by a substantial fine.' At the time, Inspector Matt Spencer said: 'We understand the distressing impact these incidents have on our communities. 'Police Scotland takes reports of hate crime very seriously and our officers are committed to ensuring this will not be tolerated.'
The Courier
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Excitement of Neil Lennon appointment has instant effect as fans 'rally behind' Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline have been 'blown away' by a surge in season-ticket sales on the back of the appointment of Neil Lennon as manager. Lennon has penned a two-year deal at East End Park following his short-term agreement for the final seven matches of 2024/25. The successful conclusion of negotiations brought to an end a month of uncertainty over the future of the former Celtic and Hibernian boss. It also allowed the Pars to push on with their season-ticket campaign, with sales beginning at 10 am on Friday morning. With a steady stream of supporters throughout the day, the Fifers had sold over 500 by the close of business. That is more than double the number from the first day of sales this time last year. Dunfermline had 3,375 season-ticket holders last term and are optimistic of bettering that as anticipation builds following Lennon's decision to commit to the Championship club until summer 2027. A club spokesman said: 'We have been absolutely blown away by the response from the supporters — day one season card sales have exceeded all expectations. 'The excitement around Neil's announcement has clearly ignited real optimism, and it's fantastic to see the fans rallying behind the club with such passion.' With the club shop open again at East End Park from 10 am until 2 pm on Saturday, club officials expect more fans to commit to the year ahead following Thursday's announcement that Lennon is staying. Prices for next season show a five per cent increase, ranging from £12 for U/12s to £379 for an adult. A statement read: 'With substantial investments, including our new manager, players, pitch improvements and other areas, we hope supporters understand their financial backing is crucial to the club.'
The Courier
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
BREAKING: Neil Lennon agrees deal to STAY on as Dunfermline Athletic boss
Neil Lennon has signed a new deal to stay on as Dunfermline manager. The former Celtic and Hibernian boss has penned a two-year contract to commit his future to the East End Park outfit until summer 2027. The Northern Irishman will again be assisted next season by Iain Brunskill, who has joined him in agreeing fresh terms. Lennon took charge of the Pars in March for the final seven games of the Championship season and helped the club avoid relegation to League One. The Fifers were always optimistic that short-term agreement could be extended. Talks have been on-going for some time between Lennon and owners James Bord and Evan Sofer. With negotiations dragging on, there were fears in some quarters that a deal was not possible. But officials at Dunfermline always retained confidence in a positive conclusion to discussions after the ex-Celtic and Leicester City player's impact both on and off the pitch. Despite the delay in Lennon putting pen to paper, the Pars say preparations for next season are 'well under way'. Chairman and chief executive David Cook indicated almost three weeks ago that the Fifers were 'hopeful' of reaching an agreement to hang on to Lennon, who secured two wins and two draws from his seven matches at the helm. And he is in no doubt that the 'outstanding' Lennon can give the club's long-suffering supporters 'a team to be proud of'. 'This is an important moment for Dunfermline Athletic FC,' said Cook. 'Confirming the appointment of Neil is a clear statement of our intent to build something meaningful and competitive. 'His leadership during the latter part of last season was outstanding, and he brings a wealth of experience, professionalism and presence that has already made a significant impact around the club. 'None of this would be possible without the ongoing support of James [Bord] and Evan [Sofer]. 'It would be remiss of me not to highlight their passion for moving the club forward. 'We know the past few seasons have been challenging – on and off the pitch. Entertainment has been in short supply, but our supporters have stuck with us through some difficult times. 'We aim to repay your loyal backing by competing at the right end of the Championship, giving you a team to be proud of.'
